Let Jerry in … and other NFL tidbits

Country singer Kenny Chesney, from left, laughs as he talks with former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman, center, and Dallas Cowboys team owner Jerry Jones, right, on the field after the Cowboys announced that Chesney would play in the Thanksgiving Day half time show.

It was a pretty forgettable NFL weekend, and actually one of the few times when the college action on Saturday (ND over Pitt in 3 OT; the great LSU-Bama game; Oregon dropping 62 on USC) was superior to the pro game on Sunday.

The most interesting thing that happened might have been following the Cowboys loss to the Falcons on Sunday night. Apparently Dallas owner Jerry Jones, obviously upset following another loss, was trying to get into the Cowboys lockerroom and Atlanta security wouldn’t let him.

There was old Jerry Jones, banging on the door harder and harder, getting madder and madder.

Fantastic scene.

Outside of that, however, it probably isn’t a good idea to write the Cowboys off quite yet. Yes, Jones is certainly going to talk to Sean Payton about being the coach in Big D, but the schedule says this season is not yet lost for Dallas even at 3-5.

To wit:

at Philadelphia

vs. Cleveland

vs. Washington

vs. Philadelphia

at Cincinnati

vs. Pittsburgh

vs. New Orleans

at Washington

What worries you there? Also, Tony Romo is 19-3 in his career in November and only the Steelers currently have a winning record.

So, Jerry might get some salvation yet.

Otherwise in Week 9, here is what happened.

Recap

STARS

PASSING

Andrew Luck, Colts, was 30 for 48 for an NFL rookie record of 433 yards and added two touchdown passes in Indianapolis’ 23-20 win over Miami. Luck has four 300-yard passing games, tied with Peyton Manning (1998) for the most by a rookie in a season.

Peyton Manning, Broncos, finished 27 of 35 for 291 yards with three TD passes and two interceptions in Denver’s 31-23 victory over Cincinnati. Denver trailed 20-17 in the fourth quarter before Manning threw two touchdown passes to put the Broncos ahead for good. It marked Manning’s 48th winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime, passing Hall of Famer Dan Marino (47) for the most in the NFL since 1970.

Jay Cutler, Bears, was 19 for 26 for 229 yards with three touchdowns in Chicago’s 51-20 win over Tennessee.

Matt Schaub, Texans, was 19 for 27 for 268 yards with two touchdowns in Houston’s 21-9 victory over Buffalo.

Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins, finished 22 for 38 for 290 yards and a touchdown in Miami’s 23-20 loss to Indianapolis.

RUSHING

Doug Martin, Buccaneers, had 25 carries for 251 yards and four touchdowns in Tampa Bay’s 42-32 win over Oakland. Martin joins Mike Anderson (Dec. 3, 2000) as the only players in NFL history to rush for at least 250 yards and four touchdowns in a game. Martin had TD runs of 70, 67, 1 and 45 yards in the victory. The rookie is the first player in NFL history with touchdowns rushing of at least 70, 65 and 45 yards in a game.

Adrian Peterson, Vikings, had 17 carries for 182 yards with two touchdowns in Minnesota’s 30-20 loss to Seattle.

Isaac Redman, Steelers, finished with 26 carries for 147 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburgh’s 24-20 win over the New York Giants.

Chris Johnson, Titans, finished with 16 carries for 141 yards and a touchdown in Tennessee’s 51-20 loss to Chicago.

Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks, had 26 carries for 124 yards and a touchdown in Seattle’s 30-20 win over Minnesota.

Arian Foster, Texans, had 24 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown in Houston’s 21-9 win over Buffalo.

Mikel Leshoure, Lions, had 16 carries for 70 yards and three touchdowns in Detroit’s 31-14 win over Jacksonville.

RECEIVING

Brandon Marshall, Bears, had nine catches for 122 yards and three touchdowns in Chicago’s 51-20 win over Tennessee.

Donnie Avery, Colts, had five catches for 108 yards in Indianapolis’ 23-20 win over Miami.

Jermaine Gresham, Bengals, had six catches for 108 yards in Cincinnati’s 31-23 loss to Denver.

DEFENSE

Michael Boley, Giants, returned a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown in New York’s 24-20 loss to Pittsburgh.

Brian Urlacher and Charles Tillman, Bears. Urlacher returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown and Tillman had four forced fumbles in Chicago’s 51-20 win over Tennessee.

Von Miller, Broncos, had three sacks in Denver’s 31-23 win over Cincinnati.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Trindon Holliday, Broncos, returned a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown in Denver’s 31-23 win over Cincinnati.

Corey Wootton, Bears, returned a blocked punt 5 yards for a touchdown in Chicago’s 51-20 win over Tennessee.

Phil Dawson, Browns, was 5 for 5 on field goals in Cleveland’s 25-15 loss to Baltimore.

STATS

This season, there have been nine individual 300-yard passing games by a rookie. That is the most in a single season in NFL history.

The Bears scored 51 points against the Titans, their highest total since 1980. The Bears have returned an interception for a touchdown a club record seven times no other NFL team had returned six for TDs through the first seven games of any season.

Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers had four TD passes in the Packers’ 31-17 win over Arizona. Rodgers, who has 25 touchdown passes in Green Bay’s first nine games this season, is the first player in NFL history to throw at least 25 TDs in his team’s first nine games in two different seasons. Rodgers, who had 28 touchdown passes in the Packers’ first nine games last season, has done it in consecutive seasons.

Green Bay finished with a season-high 176 yards rushing on 39 carries, its most since Oct. 25, 2009.

The Lions’ Matthew Stafford became the second-fastest quarterback to throw for 10,000 yards in NFL history, reaching the milestone in 37 games. Former St. Louis Rams star Kurt Warner did it in 36 games.

The Broncos have scored 37, 21, 35, 34 and 31 points in their past five games, winning four of them.

The Browns’ Trent Richardson is the first rookie to run for more than 100 yards against the Ravens since Jacksonville’s Fred Taylor in 1998.

STREAKS

The Ravens won their 10th straight game over Cleveland and 11th in a row inside the AFC North.

Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake recorded a sack in his fifth consecutive game.

The Bears have won six consecutive games.

The Packers have won four consecutive games and have won 17 of their past 18 regular-season games at Lambeau Field.

The Cardinals and Jaguars have each lost five in a row.

The Bengals have lost four in a row.

Texans running back Arian Foster has scored in five straight games.

The Buccaneers have scored at least 28 points in a franchise-record four straight games.

SIDELINED

Oakland running back Darren McFadden left the field shortly before halftime because of an ankle injury, the latest setback for the Raiders’ top rusher. X-rays on McFadden were negative during a 42-32 loss to Tampa Bay. Oakland coach Dennis Allen didn’t say which ankle was hurt and didn’t provide additional information. Earlier in the game, Raiders defensive tackle Desmond Bryant was taken to a hospital because of a fast heartbeat. No further details were announced about Bryant, in his fourth season out of Harvard.

Green Bay linebacker Clay Matthews, Pittsburgh receiver Antonio Brown and Washington wide receiver Santana Moss were among other players who left early. Matthews hurt his hamstring injury after a failed sack and Packers receiver Jordy Nelson injured his ankle. Brown, the Steelers’ top receiver, left in the first half of a 24-20 victory over the New York Giants with a left ankle sprain. Moss sustained a concussion in the fourth quarter of the Redskins’ 21-13 loss to Carolina.

SPEAKING

“His presence is felt every day in the facility. But to see him in the flesh, in the locker room, to hear him speak I think gave all the guys a boost.” Colts quarterback Andrew Luck on coach Chuck Pagano after Sunday’s 23-20 win over the Dolphins.

“There are so many bigger things going on around here that what we do is not as important as real life. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone else who are going through so much. There were so many emotions going on, I didn’t know what to expect from it. But maybe we were able to take their minds off their problems just a little.” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger after the Steelers beat the Giants 24-20 in storm-ravaged New Jersey.